MOUNT MORIAH 12067 FEET CLASS 1
June '92
MILEAGE: DIRT ROAD STATISTICS - 22.4 miles:
11.4 Excellent, 5.3 Good, 5.7 Fair and steep, possibly 4WD
DRIVE : From Ely, Nevada, drive southwest on Nevada 6/50 through Major's Place/Junction, Nevada, to 0.8 miles north of mile post 80 (eighty) to the unsigned Eight Mile Ranch road where you'll find a STOP sign and a 6 foot wooden post (with attached plaque) on opposite sides of this dirt road just as it leaves the pavement. Turn and drive north (occasionally curving) 7.7 miles on this excellent dirt road to a two-way fork. Take the right-hand (eastern-most) fork and continue north for 3.7 miles to a wood/barbed-wire fence and cattle guard. About 100 feet south of the cattle guard, turn northeast, then curve east on a rough spur road for 2.8 miles to a cattle guard. 2WDs may need to park here as the road becomes steeper and rockier - this makes for a LONG dayhike. 4WDs continue (in low range) up the steep switchbacks for 2.9 miles to (yet another) cattle guard. Occasionally, the lower switchbacks fray apart, but eventually converge, so mileage here may vary. At the top of the switchbacks, the road levels off and there are good views all around, especially to the northeast. Several roads branch out here. Take and stay on the right-hand (east/south-easterly) fork and continue 2.4 miles on a good, but sometimes rocky road, passing through a thinly forested area to a cattle guard. From here proceed another 1.2 miles on to another cattle guard. Continue another 0.6 miles on smoother road to the Moriah Cabin (with outhouse) and picnic table. This makes a quaint camp sight. Finally, proceed 1.9 more miles, crossing through Deadman Springs' drainage (potable water???, lots of cows here) to the Mt. Moriah trailhead. There is parking here for at least ten vehicles and the views of Mt. Moriah are excellent, as are those of the surrounding ranges. Mt. Moriah is south of the parking area and Es the right-hand-most peak on the ridge from this vantage point. A wilderness boundary, trail mileage, and several off-road warning signs identify the trailhead.
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MT MORIAH TRAILHEAD (pk. in background) San Diego Chapter private trip (photo by Mark Adrian) |